Qibla · Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah
Qibla direction in Ras al-Khaimah
To face the Kaaba in Ras al-Khaimah, turn to 256.9° measured clockwise from true north, which is west (13.1° south of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 1,711 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Ras al-Khaimah should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Ras al-Khaimah as a needle at 256.9°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 257°. A traditional magnetic compass also works, provided you allow for the local difference between magnetic and true north.
Find the Qibla with your phone
How to face the Qibla in Ras al-Khaimah
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 13.1° towards south: the result is the bearing of 256.9°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at west would leave you about 13° off.
The scholars distinguish two cases: the one who sees the Kaaba aims at the building itself, while the one who cannot see it, as anywhere in Ras al-Khaimah, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Ras al-Khaimah is a quick way to confirm the result. If you travel or move house, check the angle again, since it changes from place to place.
Why a flat map shows a different direction
A straight line drawn on a flat (Mercator) map from Ras al-Khaimah to Mecca points to 253.5° (west), 3.4° away from the correct 256.9°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is not the true shortest route. The Qibla follows the great circle, the shortest path on the curved Earth, which is why the bearing differs.
The value of 256.9° is the direction in which the shortest route from 25.7895° N, 55.9432° E sets off towards the Kaaba at 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. Every accurate Qibla calculator, and the plans of well-oriented mosques, arrive at the same angle for this point.
Distance from Ras al-Khaimah to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 1,711 km from Ras al-Khaimah as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 1,650 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 2 h 31 min, although most pilgrims from Ras al-Khaimah connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Ras al-Khaimah run 1 hour ahead of Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Ras al-Khaimah rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Ras al-Khaimah
On 237 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Ras al-Khaimah while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in March (31 days); for example, on 1 March 2027 it happens at 17:32 local time.
On 112 days the sun stands exactly opposite the Qibla: then the shadow of any vertical object, a pole, a door frame or a plumb line, points straight towards Mecca. This is most frequent in May (31 days), for instance on 1 May 2027 at 06:18.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | — |
| 15 January 2027 | — | — |
| 1 February 2027 | — | — |
| 15 February 2027 | — | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 17:32 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 16:48 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 15:54 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 15:10 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 14:23 | 06:18 |
| 15 May 2027 | 13:46 | 06:53 |
| 1 June 2027 | 13:11 | 07:31 |
| 15 June 2027 | 12:57 | 07:51 |
| 1 July 2027 | 13:03 | 07:52 |
| 15 July 2027 | 13:25 | 07:34 |
| 1 August 2027 | 14:04 | 06:56 |
| 15 August 2027 | 14:39 | 06:18 |
| 1 September 2027 | 15:22 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 15:57 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 16:37 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 17:13 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | — | — |
| 15 November 2027 | — | — |
| 1 December 2027 | — | — |
| 15 December 2027 | — | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Ras al-Khaimah: at 13:18 and 13:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Ras al-Khaimah compared with other cities
Compared with Abu Dhabi Island and Internal Islands City, 215 km away, the Qibla in Ras al-Khaimah is turned 3.3° further anticlockwise (256.9° against 260.2°), and Mecca is 182 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Sharjah city (73 km), prays towards 257.9°, a difference of 1.0°.
Among the 7 cities in the United Arab Emirates on this site, Ras al-Khaimah has the smallest Qibla bearing; the largest is 262.5° in Al Ain. Across the country the direction varies by 5.6°.
See all cities on the Qibla page for United Arab Emirates.
Qibla in cities near Ras al-Khaimah
- Sharjah city257.9° · 73 km
- Fujairah259.7° · 85 km
- Dubai City258.8° · 102 km
- Jebel Ali258.8° · 121 km
- Al Ain262.5° · 179 km
- Abu Dhabi Island and Internal Islands City260.2° · 215 km
Qibla in Ras al-Khaimah: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Ras al-Khaimah?
It is 256.9° from true north, which is west: 13.1° south of west.
How far is Ras al-Khaimah from Mecca?
1,711 km in a straight line over the globe, and 1,650 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Ras al-Khaimah?
On 237 days of 2027 the sun stands in the Qibla direction; the table on this page gives the exact time for the 1st and 15th of each month.
Why is the Qibla in Ras al-Khaimah not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 253.5°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Ras al-Khaimah at 256.9°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 256.9° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.